I'm back!

Morning weigh-in: 157.8 lbs (including warm clothes and scarf)

I am writing from an old courtyard house in Beijing, China. It is bitingly cold in here, hence my decision to weigh myself with all my clothes on. I am very pleased to weigh so little, it still amazes me.

I knew before I came that the Chinese government banned Facebook, but I hadn't appreciated that they also banned many Google products, including Blogpost. On arrival in our hotel, I found I couldn't access my own blog. So it has taken me these past two weeks to find a house, get the kids into a temporary school, get internet set up and a VPN, so that I can bypass the Chinese website bans. And here I am again! We have been sleeping on mattresses on the floor, but we have some furniture we bought yesterday arriving this evening, so everything is getting more and more civilized.

Tomorrow, I will try to post a picture, because it is so amazing to be here in this house, I still can't get over it. I feel like I am in a scene from that Zhang Yimou movie, Raise the Red Lantern, though I am pleased to say that as far as I know Charlie still has only one wife, me.

In terms of food, I have to confess that, not surprisingly, I haven't been able to stick to strictly no carbs during this transition period. Friends invited me over for pizza parties before leaving, and on arrival, we stayed with friends who I also felt I could not insist that I eat no carbs to, it was simply too rude to come and visit with a family of five and then also have strict dietary requirements. However, despite not being fanatic about it, I haven't eaten much by way of carbs on the whole. The Chinese food is out of this world. Yesterday, Charlie and I had lunch in between trying to find some furniture for our house, at a restaurant which is literally 20 seconds from our house. The bill came to a total of $8 and it was absolutely delicious, very green vegetables, tasty meat, delicious sauces. I've been avoiding rice, though once or twice I have had noodles, or dumplings. I simply couldn't resist and they are so fresh and homemade, that I just can't believe they're unhealthy. But I am going to get strict again now, as I'm settled in and get back to work, and post my meals again.

Today's start. It's morning, and I am having my usual: coffee. It's some sort of instant packet, that I picked up in the local supermarket, and I fear it contains a bit of sugar, which I normally never have, but somehow seems to have been included in the combo. My hands are getting cold from typing, so I'm going to stop now, more tonight.